X-ray collimating system



July 11, 1950 w. PARRISH El'AL X-RAY COLLIMATING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 15, 1947 WZZLIAMMRRZIS'H l5 KHZ/1W A. GISNE Y AG ENT Patented July 11, 1950 UNITED STATE oFFicE.

X-R'AY' CoLLIMA'rING' SYSTEM William Parrish, Hastings, andrEvelyn A. Oisney;

Tarrytown; N. Y.,..assignors;to Philips Labora.,- tories; lnc ulrvington on Hudson, NY.

Application February 15,1947, Serial No: 'z-zsiszaa; claims. (01.250-53) 'I he invention relatestocollimating systems for X-ray diffraction analysis. Iii-particular; the in ventionisdirected to-improvedi collimating sys tems for X-ray powder" cliiiraction cameras and Willbe described in connection with an -X-ray powder camera.

In general, X-ray v collimating systems aredesigned-tmprovide ad -localized beam of X-radiation for X-ray diiir'aotion analysis. These X-ray col limating systems have been used to alarge ex'-= tent in X-ray powder cameras although they have not be'en particularly limitedintheir range- Whenan X-ray collimatingsystem is employed in an X-ray powder cameras-it provides a means for ofusefulness to such X-ray equipment directing a" narrowlylocalized beam of X-radiaevolve: the basic designa information of 1 a superior I-i :collimating syst'emi ing. systems. for X-ray powder cameras;

signof X-ray Powder Cameras in-the- Journal of Applied: Physics, voli I6, 1945; pages 501-510.

However} it is k-nowrr that-in general; X r'ay diffraction photographs obtained with- X-ray pow-- der diffraction cameras employing any of. the known X-ray eollimating systems have certain:

inherent disadvantages andit is further known that poor film registry is a result of faulty, collim ating system design; Thedisadvantagesthat resultasa use of an improper-1y designed X -ray collimating systemiare', excessive air-scatter, poor resolution, low intensity, unreliable: relativexin tensiti'es, .noe filmi registry of: diffraction patterns at verylow and very high angles, and X-ray scatter and/or. Laue: spots on the film from parts of the camerav other. than: the: specimen;

It. is anobject: of the invention to provide an:-

ties, record patternsat very low and very high.

angles, and eliminate X-ray scatter and/or Laue spots from parts of the camera other than the tItis aiistillifuntheriebiect eitherinventiorator.

the detection device.

It: is a'stillftunther: object of the invention to; q designl a collimator; system i for an X-ray 1 powder? camera which: has easily reproducible. alignment". and: is mechanically: simple;

Arrdcyetsanotherrobieet the invention isator:

provide: novel. and superior designs: collimate These andtfurther: objects: Ofithe' invention'vwill beeomez readily." apparent from: ant inspection. of: the drawing forming a part of this speciiioationi andithe. detailed description; which follows;

According to: the inventiom the: foregoing" ob-- jects: are achievedv by improved. designs of: X -ray coilimating' systemsso More specifically. the.v limator: system": comprises. a tapered: collimator:

tuber provided with correctly. spaced partitions impervious to Xrradiation whichpartitions are provided; with apertures fon'permitting: asharply localizedbeams oft xeradiationa to pass through? the tubexandza: tapered exititube for. allowing the;- pnimaw radiation tor escapes without registering;

The spacing of; the: pars.-

titions the collimator are determined; by; the

nature of. the-speciinerrtto: be: analyzed; and the;- length of: the collimator-: tube sorthatranr intense: beam of; radiation isgfocussed at; the specimen; andrtheaportion ofrth'e: tubeflbetween the; partition,

nearestzr the specimemands the specimen end 0t:-

thectubel forms a: scatter cup for: absorbing: undesired radiation. v

We have found. that in; order to obtain diffracr' tion patterns displaying; good: resolution,,highz in--;

tensities; better relative: intensities, reduced air scatter, and" the". elimination; of Xeray scatter; and/or: Laue spots arising. from; the reflection, of X's-radiation; from parts. of; thecamera other;

';: than. the specimen;., certain .designcriteria for the;

eollimating: systemamustrbe met. We have effec;-- tively solved: the? problem for any type of collimati-ng systemifor any; X -ray' camera used: X-ray diffraction analysis: and: the generalized:

:1: solution of the; problem; is g-ivemin" the form of;

a system: of? equations-which; when solved yield the proper: spacing of. the above-mentioned. par-- titions; the location of the: partition within: the;

collimating tube: nearest the specimen, and; the diameter of the X-ray beamv at the tip; of the collimator for best difiraction patterns. The design of the exit tube is also given as a solution of a system of equations which when solved yield the length of the exit tube and the beam diameter at the tip of the exit tube nearest the specimen. By a proper correlation of these factors, obtained as a solution of a generalized system of equations, the overall design of the system will produce a superior collimating system.

In order that the invention can be readily understood and'carried into effect, it will now be described withreferenceio the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a partial cross-sectional view of an' X-ray powder camera embodying a, collimating system according to the invention;

Fig. 1A is a partial end view of the collimator showing a partition impervious to X-ra'diation provided with a slotted aperture; and

Fig. 2 is an analytical diagram illustrating the mathematical analysis leading to the general equations embodying the design of the collimator system.

'1 Referring more particularly to Fig. l in the drawing, a specimen H) is located on a support (not shown) centrally positioned in a powder camera i3 which holds a film 33 sensitive to X-radiation on the inner peripheral wall thereof. The specimen is positioned between'a collimator tube H and an exit port tube assembly 12 which extendaxially through opposite openings in the camera wall l3 andare. provided to direct a sharply defined beam of X-radiation at the specimen and to allow direct radiation passin through the specimen to leave the camera without secondary effects such as back-scattering and reflection from. the wall of the camera, respectively.

Collimator H is in the form of a tapered tube for that portion which extends into the camera and is provided with a circumferential tapered protrusion it which abuts alike tapered recess in guide piece l5 which is secured to theoutside wall [3 of the camera as shown in the drawing. A holding cap I6 is designed to abut circumferential protrusion IT on, collimator tube Hand has a thread l8 which engages the thread on guide piece l5 so that tapered protrusion l4 willbe in positive. contact with the matched recess in'guide piece l5. a

Similarly, exit port assembly 12 is provided with a like circumferential tapered protrusion I9- which abuts a tapered recess in guide piece 20 which is similarly secured to the outer wall I3 of the camera. 'A holding cap 2| is designed to-abut circumferential protrusion. 22 on exit port assembly l2 and has a thread .23 which engages a thread on guide piece 20 so that tapered protrusion l9 will be inpositive contact with the-matched recess in guide piece 20.

"Collimator H is provided with partitions 21 and 28 which are impervious to X-radiation, positioned perpendicularto the center line of the collimator and are apertured to permit X-radiation to pass therethrough in a sharply defined beam. The form of the apertures in the partitions will depend upon the nature of the specimen and the results desired. In the preferred embodiment shown .in Fig. 1, the aperture in partition '21 is in the form of a slot as shown in Fig. 1A. When high'intensities are required without sacrificin resolution in the 10 to 270 za region, and line shape is of noimportance, the better combination inasmall or large camera 1 is 'a slotted aperturein'partition 2'! as shown in Fig. 1A and a circular aperture in partition 28. Circular apertures in both partitions 2'! and 28 are desirable for those cases where line shape is important and for very small angle patterns particularly where sharp clear lines in the diffraction pattern are necessary. While for certain types of specimens, e. g. specimens with large interplanar spacings, a circular aperture in partition 21 and a slotted aperture in partition 28 gives better results. In this case, the slot in partition 28 should be dimensioned so that the cross-sectional area of the beam of X-radiation in the vicinity of the specimen is in the form of a square.

With certain X-ray tubes with good focussing in the X-ray tube itself and in which the target can be viewed at small angles such that the projection of the focal spot corresponds to a slit approximately 0.5 millimeter by 2 millimeters or less wide, the first aperture '21 can be eliminated and the focal spot can replace the slit in apertured partition 21. This will result in higher intensities and a simpler collimating system.

"The distance from the apertured partition 28 tothe tip of collimator tube II forms a scatter cup 29 which is provided to prevent secondary scatter effects arising from the primary beam of X-radiation striking the apertured Walls in partition 28.

A fluorescent screen 26 is provided at the remote end of exit port tube 12 so that the alignment of the primary beam and the specimen can obe readily checked at any time. A disc of black tor against exposure to direct radiation.

The tapered recesses in guide pieces l5 and 20 respectively are provided for automatically aligning collimator H and exit port assembly l2 with specimen NI. Guide pieces I5 and 2!! are fixed to the camera after they have been carefully adjusted to assure the positive and automatic alignment of collimator II and exit port assembly [2 with specimen ID. The tapered recesses provide a conical fit with the tapered protrusions of the collimator and exit port tube assembly respectively. In this manner, the alignment of the collimator tube Ii and exit port assembly I2 is simply and positively assured. In addition, threaded caps l6 and 2| securely position collimator tube H and exit port tube assembly I2 when they are properly aligned. The openings in the camera have internal diameters which are slightly larger than the external diameters of the collimator tube and exit port tube respectively so that there is no interference while the collimator tube and exit port tube are being aligned.

An alignment pin 32 for aligning the slotted aperture in partition 21 parallel to specimen H3 is positioned by bracket 3| attached to the camera housing. When pin 32 is moved, the end of the pin is freed from a recess 30 in the outer wall of the collimator tube thus permittin the collimator tube to be rotated or removed from the camera housing. With the collimator tube incertain conditions be fulfilled concerning the begs-icdesign of the system- More particularly; the importanttactors are the spacing of the partitions, the external diameters-of the collimator and exit port-tubes, the size of the apertures in the partitions, and the size of the respective orifices of the collimator and exit port time at the specimen'ends thereof. These relationscan be "obtained from astudy' of the geom etry of the collimating system.

The fulfillment of the conditions imposed above can best be determined by a study of theanalyti cal diagramshown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. In tnefi'gure, the symbols define the following rela'- tions:

axis the distance between apertures P1 and P2 locatedin partitions 21 and 28 of Figure 1 respectively; l

ad: the distance between aperturePi and the cross over point K;

ha: is the distance betweenaperture P2 and the Gris'the' altitude of a triangle E1G1H1 whose 1 se ErGi is'the diameter of the film opening through which the exit port tube is inserted into the camera; the sides of which include the sides of a similar triangle LJHl having a base S which is the diameter of the specimen,

s triangles E1G1H1 and LJHl having a common I vertex H1;

Prisithe width or diameter ofthe'aperture in partition 21 of Fig. 1;

Pz'fis' the diameter ofthe aperture'in partition 28 F is the diameter of film opening EG and/or EiGi;

Bits thediameter-of the X+ray beam atthe-colli matter as; i

B1 is'the diameter of theX-ray beam at the specimen end of the exit port tube;

Z is the distance between the specimen end of ftheiexitport tube and the film opening ElGl; Wis-the wa1l thickness of thecollimator tube-at theorificebf the collimator nearest the specim'en; T is the difference between the beam diameter and the internal-diameter of the collimator tube at thespecimen end of the collimator tube;

1: is the distance between aperture P1 and film opening EG; if the partition21 is omitted and an X -ray tube having a target which can be viwed at small anglesis used, 11; is-the distance between film opening EG and the 'focalsp'ot; S- is the diameter of the specimen;

D is-rthef. internal diameter of the camera.

For" a'camera' ofany'given design, certain of the above factors are determined by the design characteristics of the camera. For any given camera a'nd specimemD; S,'W, T and F are predetermined by the camera and specimen. These factors can be stated as the parameters of the system. If-itbe assumed further that --'-anglesand LJH having a common vertex (though not absolutely necessary; it leads 'tocertain simplifications in the mathematical re1ations and is in most cases a true relationship), the following relationships will be readily apparent from the geometry of the figure:

'Thelength of the collimator tube from 'al erturesPi to the tip of the collimator tube is. 22: y: and can be expressed as follows:

The location" of the aperture P2 nearest the specimen is found by the method of similar triangles using triangles RMGrand RUV, or,

'D1+P '(1 +F Since Equations 4, 5 and 6 contain the-variables a3, 11-; and B,- these' equations must be: solved simultaneously for the solution ofeach of the variables: The generalized solution in' parametric "form yields an unwieldy solution and since for any given camera; the constants are determined, the solution of these equations is simplified by; the substitution of known constants.

Likewise, for'the exit port" tube, the. following relations hold. The inside diameter of the exit port tube at the specimen end thereofis and the outside diameter at the'sp'ecimen end thereof is:

. +T+ The diameter B1 of the b'ea'mat the specimen end of the exit port tube is determined from the similar triangles formed by aperture Pg and the beam diameter Bi with cross-overpointKz'f' whence 7 And the length Z of the exit" port tube can be expressed as follows: I

"-"-Ihesimultaneous solution of Equations 9 and 10 will yield the length Z of the-exit port tube and the beam diameter B1, for optimum results.

While we have shown and described an X-ray collimating system for use in a cylindrical X-ray powder camera, the equations formulated above are equally applicable to any camera employed in X-raydifiraction analysis of powder specimens. More particularly,- a flat plate camera or a Geiger-Muller tube could be employed instead of a cylindrical X-ray powder camera in which case the parameters would be defined in terms of the system employed. In such applications of the collimating system described above, the diameterof the camera will become the distance to the recording medium and the diameter of the film opening will be equivalent to the minimum Bragg angle, 0, that can be recorded with the system. I

'With a collimating system described and designed in accordance with the generalized parametric equations, the camera embodying the collimating system will be characterized by high radiation intensities for specimen analysis resulting in clear sharply defined images; good resolution of the diffraction permitting small angle work with highly resolved difiraction patterns on the film; low background scatter efiect resulting in sharp clear images on the film; no primary radiation efiects on the film; perfect alignment of the collimator tube, exit port tube,

and specimen axis; and simple and easily reproducible alignment.

While we have thus described our invention with specific examples and embodiments thereof, we do not wish to be limited thereto because other obvious modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

! What we claim is:

1. -A collimating system adapted for use in an X-ray powder camera employed for recording X-ray diffraction patterns of a specimen of powdered material on a film, comprising a tubular member having a conically tapered portion for directing a beam of X-radiation along a given axis at said specimen, a first wall element perpendicular to the given axis provided with an aperture, a second wall element perpendicular to the given axis provided with an aperture, said second wall element positioned within said tapered portion of said tubular member to provide a portion of said first tubular member for absorbing deflected X-radiation from said wall element, the position of said second wall element being located according to the following equation,

where y is the distance from the second wall element to the end of said first tubular member nearest the specimen, D1 is the internal diameter of the first tubular member at the specimen end thereof determined according to the following relation,

where B is the beam diameter at the end oithe first tubular member at the specimen end there of and is further determined according to the following relation where P is the diameter of the aperture in said second wall element, bx is the distance'from said second wall element to a cross-over point of a beam of X-radiation between said first and sec ond wall elements, T is the diameter difference between the beam and the first tubular member at the specimen end of said first tubular mem: ber, D is the diameter of said powder camera, 11. is the distance from the film opening in said camera to said first wall element, F is the film opening diameter, and a: is the distance between said first and second wall elements being defined by the following relation,

T i Q F where D2 is the external diameter of the first tubular member at the specimen and thereof and is defined by the following relation,

D2= B+T+W where W is the wall thickness of the first tubular member, C is thealtitude of the cone whose base is the diameter of the film opening and which cone determines the conical taper of said first tubular member, and a second tubular member having a conically tapered portion directed at said specimen axially aligned in spaced relation with said first tubular member and said specimen, the length of said tubular member being defined by the following relation,

where C1 is the altitudeof the cone defining the conical taper of said second tubular member and whose base is the diameter of the film opening F, and D4 is the outside of diameter of said second tubular member defined by the following relation where T and W have been defined as above, and B1 is defined by the following relation where am is defined as the distance from the first wall element in said first tubular member to the cross-over point of a beam of X-radiation in said first tubular member and D is the diameter of said camera.

2. A collimating system adapted for use in an X-ray powder camera employed for recording X- ray diffraction patterns of a specimen of powdered material on a film as claimed in claim 1, in which the second tubular member includes means for observing axial alignment of the first and second tubular members, said alignmentdetermining means including a fluorescent screen responsive to incident X-radiation thereon for giving a visual indication of the alignment of said tubular members when a beam of X-radiation is directed therethrough.

3. A collimating system adapted for use in an X-ray powder camera employed for recording X- ray diffraction patterns of a specimen of powdered material on a, film as claimed in claim- 1-, including a conically tapered protrusion atv one end of each of said tubularmembers comprising the collimating system which are adapted to abut corresponding internally tapered guide block 1 members secured to the exterior of the camera for aligning the tubular members, and means for observing axial alignment of the first and second tubular members including a fluorescent screen responsive to incident radiation thereon for giving a'visual indication of the alignmentof said tubular members when a beam of X-radiation is directed therethrough.

WILLIAM PARRISH.

'EVELYN A. CISN'EY.

REFERENCES CITED OTHER REFERENCES Journal of Scientific Instruments, vol. 18, 1941, pp. 216-219.

The following references are.of record in th Structure Of Metals C. S. Barrett, McGraW- file of this patent:

Hill Book Co., New York, published 1943, p. 115. 

